Miko Gakko
by ButterflyMiko
Summary: Right after Naruto becomes Hokage, four women disappear: Sakura, Ino, Hinata, and Tenten. They reappear at an eclipse, under some kind of hypnosis. A strange woman appears calling Naruto her warrior. What sort of darkness is approaching?
1. Awakened

Naruto Uzumaki was eighteen years old. His adventures had ended long ago, and he had even overcome death!

His life had become rather calm, as calm as a life could be as Hokage of Konoha.

Naruto was "wandering" around Konoha where they had gathered to head into the Festival to watch the eclipse.

"Naruto! Stop wandering! We're leaving!" Sasuke called.

Naruto rushed to join them.

"What's with you?" Sasuke asked. "You seem so strangely cheerful."

"I am not sure." Naruto said. "It feels as if all this peace is a long dream."

"Never say that, dobe." Sasuke chided. "If you say that, you might wake up."

"What are your plans for the year, Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"I plan to resume my duties, and of course to visit a lot. Lately I've felt so drawn to that old temple at the edge of Konoha." Sasuke said.

"I am going to continue working as Hokage, and I feel drawn to that place too..." Naruto said.

"Let me know when you figure it out," Sasuke said. "Did you hear about Sakura, Ino, Hinata, and Tenten?"

"What about them?" Artemis asked, preparing the Eclipse goggles.

"They are missing." Sasuke said. "Right after you were named Hokage they disappeared."

"That's awful. We need to search for them ttebayo." Naruto said.

"Today's the day of the biggest total solar eclipse of the century." Sasuke pointed out.

They both put on their goggles.

"It's getting kind of dark out." Naruto heard a ringing sound. _"A bell tinkling?"_ he thought. _"Such a clear, pretty sound..."_

There was a woman, standing next to the fountain.

"Are you..." She looked up at him. "...looking at me?"

She had long dark hair, bright blue eyes, and was wearing a dark blue dress.

Naruto nodded. "I can see you."

He walked forward, his hand touched hers...and then...

A bright light shone in the sky.

"No! The awakening must NOT happen! Naruto!"

The woman's visage faded, and she was a young girl. She was about eighteen. Her hair was pixie cut, but that same dark shade. Her eyes were that same sharp dark shade of blue.

Her eyes met Naruto's and then without warning she turned away, and grabbed the hand of a redheaded woman who appeared to be her sister, and the two disappeared in the darkness of the eclipse.

"The new moon is completely hiding the sun..." Sasuke remarked, beside him. "The tradition is to make a wish. I think I would wish to find those missing girls."

Naruto paused. At the moment thoughts of everything passed away. His only wish was to solve the mystery of that woman...to see her again.

It began to get very...very...dark...

"Odd," Naruto said. His eyes widened suddenly, and he doubled over in pain.

"Naruto!" Sasuke called.

"I-I'm fine..." Naruto lied. "Just a little dizzy."

_"What was it..." _he thought. _"That pain..."_

The two looked into look into the sky. A flying craft with spotted sails appears in the air. Voices call out from it.

It was the four missing girls!

"Come on! Come on! The circus is here!" Sakura called.

"The city of lights, filled with beautiful dreams!" Ino called.

"The land we've longed for! We've been waiting and waiting for this time!" Hinata called.

"The arrival of our Eclipse Circus!" Tenten called.

The craft vanished.


	2. Warrior

Hey!" Sasuke said. "What the-!? From inside the eclipse... A ship!? They were singing! The Eclipse Circus!"

"Sure looks that way," said Naruto. "A grove, a woman, a ship flying through the sky... And that song, too. Is this a daydream?"

The pain struck him again. _"It's not a dream,"_ he thought. _"I feel an ominous foreboding..."_

Xxx

Kuri and Rei, the two Artemis had seen before, were watching from a short distance away.

Suddenly, two crows swooped down to them. They dropped a card and a newspaper with an article on the eclipse on the ground.

"The tarot card for the moon," Kuri said. "It foretells anxiety, and bad things to come. The cursed solar eclipse, once in a millennium... Is that what you want to say, my crows? I feel an ominous foreboding... The scent of evil... Let's go back!"

"Kuri?" Reiko said. "I thought you said we had to leave that boy alone.

"I'm worried about him!" They ran toward the park. "The foreboding of a new enemy...!" Kuri said.

Xxx

Back at the park, Naruto and Sasuke decided to go to the shopping center and kill some time before Naruto had to return to work. As the two reach the shopping center, they saw a large banner hanging above them.

"Circus arrival blowout sale!?" Sasuke read. She picked up a flyer. "'A huge circus from the exotic regions of the Amazon! The mysterious Eclipse Circus! They travel the world and have finally come here!'"

They heard a song.

"Filled with beautiful dreams... We're the Eclipse! Eclipse Circus..."

"That song!" said Sasuke. "Is that the circus song!? Is it carrying all through the city?"

A woman was working at a stand. "Hello hello!" she says. "The circus is coming next month! If you get a stamp from the shopping center now, you get S-row tickets! There's a big sale until the last day of the circus!"

"Wow! It's like a festival!" Naruto said. "They've got cotton candy! And goldfish!"

"A glass sword..." Sasuke said. "How fascinating."

Naruto read the flyer. "'Grand opening at Mamiana Sakaue Park!'"

_"The Eclipse Circus?"_ he thought. _"All of a sudden...?"_

He bought the glass sword.

"Strange for you to buy something like this, Naruto." Sasuke said.

"I don't know why..." Naruto said.

Kuri watched Naruto and made sure he was ok and shared her growing suspicions about the 'Circus' with Reiko. At that moment, the "Five o'clock bell" rang.

"This circus reminds me of a story that my parents used to tell me when I was small." Sasuke said.

"What kind of story?" Naruto said.

"Stories of sunken empires in the sea, or the mysteries of the pyramids, or cursed diamonds. Stories of robots, and vampires, and mirrors." Sasuke said.

"Stories of mirrors?" asked Naruto.

"Well, on the other side of a mirror, another, pitch-black world exists. So on pitch-black nights, of new moons, you can't look into a mirror. Otherwise, you'll be drawn into the world inside it. It's an old European legend." Sasuke said.

The mirror in the festival was black.

xxx

An old woman stood inside the circus big top, holding a cane. She faced 4 girls.

"We are Sakura, Ino, Hinata, and Tenten. We are the Eclipse Dreamers. We will not fail in our mission."

"I will seal the doorway." Kiana said.

"Prepare for the nightmares." The old woman said.

Xxx

"_Naruto..."_

_Naruto followed the voice and found the woman from before._

"_You carry the Aether Sword. Are you my Warrior?" _

_Naruto looked at the glass weapon. On closer examination it looked to be made of crystal._

_The woman took his hands and they hovered over the city. Part of it was pitch black._

"_What is wrong with Konoha?" Naruto asked her._

"_Nightmares befall this world." The woman said._

_"Who... are you?" Naruto said._

"_I am the Guardian of the Underworld." The woman said. "But you can call me Kurai." _

_Naruto saw his parents._

_"Dad? Mom?"_

_Kurai started to fade away._

_"Kurai!?"_

Xxx

Naruto crashed to the floor in his room. He opened his eyes. "...A dream?"

He saw the Aether Sword beside him.

"It wasn't a dream..." He got dressed and left.

Xxx

Naruto stood in the park, not sure what he was doing out there or why he had brought the sword.

He heard shouts that a tiger had gotten loose from the zoo.

Naruto looked up and saw the two girls from the eclipse watching him.

"Who...?"

He was knocked to the ground by a growling tiger.

Naruto didn't quite know what happened next, but the sword began to glow.

"The sword..." Naruto said. "I thought it was just a toy..."

Kurai was in front of him, but she looked see-through, like a hologram.

"Now that crystal sword is beginning to carry spirit, with your strong thoughts and power," Kurai said. "It had a strong link to you from the beginning."

"I am the Aether Sword," it said. "I will guide your hand, great warrior."

"I'm not...I-I..." Naruto drew back.

He felt his body moving and the sword unleashed a flash of silver light. The Tiger calmed down, and returned to its home.

"_Kurai..." _thought Naruto. He doubled over. _"What is it... That sounds familiar..." _He collapsed on the ground.

"Naruto?" Sasuke ran to him.

Xxx

"The tennyo has returned. She thinks to steal her identity back from me..." the voice came from a black mirror deep within the Eclipse Circus. "You must destroy that warrior before the awakening occurs! Find the tennyo and extinguish her light!"

"Allow us, Queen Bandiane." Sakura said. "I will drown her and her warrior in a nightmare of sorrow!"

"The rest of you, spread the nightmare. Make sure it reaches Konoha. I need the magic of the Leaf to break the seal. Otherwise I will never be able to cast the Spell of Shattered Sight."

"Do not worry, my Queen," Ino said. "Soon everyone will see things our way."


	3. Synthesia

Princess Kaguya floated over the water in a clearing in the woods. _"My Warrior... I've finally found you,"_ she thought. _"I can't breathe... Something is stuffing up my chest..."_

"Naruto!"

Naruto opened his eyes and saw Sasuke staring down at him.

"Sasuke..." he said.

"You're okay!" said Sasuke.

Naruto went into another room to see the doctor.

"A lung shadow?" he said.

The doctor paused. "Yes, well... It's a little unbelievable. I've never seen anything like it. The infection... I guess you could call it a shadow. Anyway, this is the first case of it. Has this happened to you often before? I'd like to examine you a little more in-depth. When can you come again?"

"Oh, well... I'll see when I can take a day off from work. I'll make an appointment with the front desk ttebayo." He went out into the hall. _"A lung shadow...?"_ he thought.

Sasuke went up to him. "Naruto! How'd it go?"

"It's nothing serious," he lied, and went to sleep.

Xxx

"_I can't believe they have gotten to you already." Princess Kaguya said._

"_Gotten to me?" Naruto said. "You know something about my illness ttebayo?"_

"_It is the result of the evil that is in this land." Kaguya said. "This is their doing."_

"_Who are they?" Naruto said. "How can I help you ttebayo?"_

"_I cannot say now." Kaguya said. "Warrior I need your power."_

_A large cage appeared around her._

_"You have the key to save me, to save everything. You have the beautiful dream. You're protected, my Warrior. You can protect me." Kaguya faded away._

Xxx

"Kaguya!?" Naruto called. "Is that the warrior Kaguya is looking for? Is that really... me?"

"Naruto, are you alright?" Sasuke said.

"I'm sorry for putting you through that," Naruto said. "That circus... The Dead Moon Circus. They're surely targeting this city. We must act at once ttebayo."

Naruto smiled. Then he suddenly doubled over.

"Naruto!"

"I'm okay," he said. "I'll rest a little." He lay down in bed. "Sasuke, I'm just putting a burden on you. I don't feel a speck of your strength in me. Far from it, I keep dragging you down ttebayo."

"I don't believe that." Sasuke said, and left the room.

Xxx

_Kaguya emerged from the black mirror in Naruto' room. "Naruto... Please forgive me. I didn't come to the defense of this world. Not just this world, but your body too... Please search for it. The...Shikon no Tama. My Warrior." She faded away._

_Naruto opened his eyes and sat up. "A dream...?"_

Xxx

Hinata was in her home. She was trying to solve the problem of the Dead Moon Circus and had found a forcefield enveloping the Juuban shopping center. She recalled advice Root gave her, telling her she was everybody's brain.

Neji arrived home at 1am from the hospital.

"I'm sorry, Hinata." Hanabi said. "I'm not home very much am I?"

"It's alright. I work very hard too." Hinata said.

Hinata remembered how hard Neji used to work to protect Konoha.

At this moment, Bandiane orders Fish Eye to locate someone with a beautiful dream that protected the People. An image of Hinata appears in the mirror.

Hinata walked outside in the rain to the circus. She then sees a fish store there and entered it.

Hinata looked at the fish. "I feel like I'm in the water."

Hanabi showed up.

"You look like you're happy," said Hanabi. "I feel people long for the water. It's evidence of their built-up stress. A sign of their frustration."

"So this is where you work." Hinata said. "I'll buy a fish."

Hinata returned home and stared at the fish in its tank.

She sat up later. "Hanabi?"

Hinata saw her sister with a man. They were talking and laughing.

"Hinata doesn't have any hobbies besides working." Hanabi said. "She's not really my sister at all."

Hinata turned to the mirror in her room.

She saw herself talking to Neji.

"Don't come any closer, Lady Hinata." Neji said. "I'm tired. Because of you. With no interest in anything but work I'm happy I died so I didn't see you turn out this way."

She saw Naruto with his family. They were all happy and smiling.

"Naruto!" Hinata called.

"When I am with my family," Naruto said. "even like this, we're so happy! We don't need anyone else!"

The fish from the tank grows into Fish Eye. "Hey," he said. "You don't need to take this. Were you jealous of them? Tell me your real thoughts."

"Yes," said Hinata. "I've been so lonely... My dream is to be loved by someone, anyone..."

The mirror shows an image of Fish Eye kissing Hinata.

"NO! It's a lie! It's wrong! Help me, Hanabi! No, that's not Hanabi! Come on, Hinata! This is a hallucination!" She runs out on the balcony, where she was attacked by lemures. "Monsters!? Inside the condo!? Have to call Naruto..." She opened her communicator. "Naruto! Can you hear me!?"

The communicator fails and she falls through a giant mirror into a vortex.

"This is the nightmare of the imp lemures."

Hinata floated through the space.

"You have no self confidence, Hinata. You can only depend on others."

Her eyes closed and she fell slowly down through the water.

"_NO! Don't listen! Come to me! Warrior!"_

She opened her eyes and saw the Princess Kaguya far below, in her cage.

"I am the Guardian of the Underworld. I am Princess Kaguya. And you are one of my Warriors."

"You mustn't fall prey to this nightmare, remember your true dream."

"My true dream...? Oh... Yes. I have lots of people who love me. I want to love those people more. I want to protect them. For that purpose, I work hard. And, my dream... It's to become an good soldier, and protect everyone. Because that is my mission!"

Hinata leapt out of the water, a heart shape glowing on her chest. A harp appeared.

"I am Synthesia!"

Hinata played the harp and the sound blasted away, and the mirror, lemures and all break and crash and disappear. The man who was holding her roommate disappeared and Hanabi collapsed. Somehow the communicator must have worked because Naruto ran into the room.

"Are you alright Hinata?" Naruto said.

He used the Aether Sword, and Fish Eye was destroyed.

"Hinata!" Naruto said. "I see you've met the Underworld Guardian ttebayo."

"Yes..."

Kaguya appeared. "My Warriors."

"Kaguya, you are wrong!" Naruto said.. "The one your searching for is not me!"

"The one she's searching for?" asked Hinata.

"The warrior I'm searching for carries the beautiful dream," Kaguya said. "This person is a protected soldier. And this person can break the seal on the Shikon. The chosen warrior."

"Protected?" Hinata says. "A soldier? The Shikon?"

"Yes," said Naruto. "The moment I heard Kaguya say that, I knew ttebayo."

"Then," said Hinata, "the maiden is... Me?"

"So, you are my warrior," said Kaguya.

"The maiden Kaguya is searching for isn't me..." Naruto thinks. "The one she needs isn't me..."

Naruto was hurt, and left.

"Naruto!?" Hinata called.

Kaguya faded away.

"Kaguya!?"


	4. Indra Arrow

Naruto ran through the streets, tears streaming from his eyes. "Oh... I ran away... I was scared... Even though nothing's changed. I'm so stupid. I knew it, but..."

"It was Hinata all along. The person she was searching for... wasn't me... I'm hurt."

_"Warrior."_

"She flattered me by calling me that..."

_"Lend me your strength..." _she said. _"Please, call me..."_

"I thought maybe even I could do something."

_"You have the beautiful dream,"_ she said. _"You're protected by the light of the moon. My warrior. You are the chosen warrior."_

"But I wasn't after all. This me, with no power..." The small bells rang. Kaguya appeared.

"Kaguya..." Naruto said. "I wonder if, someday, the time will come when I'm needed too... When I'll become a fine warrior... I wonder if, someday, my dream will come true..."

Xxx

Hinata and Sasuke looked around.

"Naruto!?" Sasuke said. "It's starting to pour! Let's go search!"

"Naruto!" Hinata called.

Xxx

Naruto buried his face in his hands.

Kaguya leaned down and kissed him.

"Don't cry, my warrior," she said. "Everyone is worried and looking for you. Around you, the path is filled with love. In this body, I'm limited to this. My Warrior. I will come to see you again. So don't cry." She faded away.

XXX

"Naruto!" Hinata called. She ran to him and hugged him tightly. "Yes!" She looked down at him. "You'll catch cold. Let's go."

Naruto' mouth hung open.

"Naruto?"

"Where's Kaguya?" He asked.

"He disappeared right after that," said Sasuke. "We couldn't talk to him."

_"Kaguya?"_ Naruto thought, touching his lips. _"Just now, was that Kaguya...?"_

Xxx

The young woman floats to the floor, where she lay as she was inside a golden cage.

"Oh..." said Bandiane. "Your escaping from my curse was quite something. But you and this land are already mine. Soon the surface too, and everything will be mine. Your selfish imitation won't be permitted. Heh heh heh."

"You can enslave this land, and this body," said Kaguya, "but you can't rule my spirit yet! You and your minions will surely be wiped out by my Warrior!"

"Impudent!" A blast struck him in the chest, and he collapsed on the floor.

_"Unless I find the Shikon soon..."_ Kaguya thought. _"Unless I return this land to normal... The entire planet will be..."_

_Xxx_

"The Otherworld must be contaminated by darkness." Bandiane said. "But there is light still in the Otherworld, coming from the Shikon."

"The light comes from that hateful Princess Kaguya." Zia said. "Only she can wield the power of the Shikon. She will depend on her human form on earth, her avatar—her priestess."

"I AM THE ONE WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIKON!" Bandiane screamed. "She is the lesser one! I will destroy her!"

Xxx

Sasuke was working out in the training room.

"Why are you working so hard, Sasuke?" Naruto asked. "Your Chidori...it seems to be faltering today."

"Kakashi." Sasuke said. "He caught a cold and can't move now. These are hard times in the world, so I'm looking for efficient management rules."

Sasuke was caring for Kakashi whose fever had not gone down.

"Don't worry. I'm looking after things here." Sasuke assured him.

Sasuke headed outside to resume training, wondering what he would do when he retired. He still wanted to be near Naruto and the others.

He remembered a strange dream he'd had, then an arrow dropped to the ground. Sasuke picked it up. He recalled the words of Naruto who said his chidori was faltering. He grabbed the arrow and threw it high into the air.

Naruto watched him, wondering if he too was one of Kaguya's warriors.

Xxx

The next day balloons flew in the air as people wander around the grounds of the Dead Moon Circus.

"Come on Sasuke, we have to investigate this place." Naruto said.

"That's right." Sasuke said. "Even I fill childish in a place like this."

Sakura passed by, whispering. "The circus will do this to you."

Sasuke turned and didn't see anyone, but saw a Mirror House. The crowd pushed him in and the doors slammed shut behind him.

Sasuke looked into a mirror and saw his past: in training with Orochimaru.

"Sasuke." Young Sasuke looked at him. "You have devoted your life to the path of an avenger. Even when your path was not clear, you continued. What sort of life is that? To always be full of hatred? Didn't you have anything precious to you?"

The mirror flashed, revealing things he had forgotten. The first time he'd met Naruto and Sakura; the first time they had a successful mission. And the day he left the village; Sakura's tears.

"Stop it! I will never betray Naruto!" Sasuke said.

Sakura appeared in the mirror. Sasuke began to remember. He had loved her so much.

"Now you're thinking of your own happiness," the young Sasuke said. "Listen to all I have to say. You have to make friends. Yes, for example, I'm getting this wonderful woman."

The young Sasuke reaches up and kissed Sakura.

Sasuke lifted his hand and shattered the mirrors. He dropped to his knees and coughed.

Far off, Sakura, casting the illusion, screamed in frustration. "My enchantment cannot easily be daunted."

The image of young Sasuke appeared again.

"You loved Sakura." Young Sasuke said. "Naruto took her away. And that's why you walk the path of hatred. You wanted to make people suffer!"

"I won't listen to you!" Sasuke said.

Pain struck his body. He was unable to fight.

Xxx

Naruto was searching outside the Hall of Mirrors for Sasuke, when he heard Sasuke's voice.

Naruto headed for the tent immediately. His friend was in danger.

Xxx

Sasuke was collapsed on the floor.

"My Warrior..."

He looked up to see Kaguya before him.

"Are you another illusion?"

An Arrow appeared in his hands. "I am the Indra Arrow!"

"It has will?" Sasuke touched it.

He aimed at the illusion and destroyed it.

Xxx

Naruto ran to him. "Are you alright?"

"I was trapped in some sort of genjutsu." Sasuke said. "But Kaguya appeared to me and I was able to get free."

"Enemies appeared and fought you!?" said Naruto.

"When I passed in front of the mirror house," Sasuke said. "I was strangely drawn in... When it showed me delusions, it crept straight to my heart. The enemies are so obscene! They might be after us. We should be careful."

"Using the circus show," said Naruto. "are they plotting to brainwash people!? Damn!"

"The Eclipse Circus!" Sasuke said.. "People will fall into their trap! We have to stop them somehow. We must expose their true identity at any cost! We have to protect the people of this city! We will eliminate the Dead Moon Circus from this city at once!"

xxx

Meanwhile Bandiane sat in her lair and smiled at the Dreamers.

"The Circus has just begun!"


	5. Laurel Wreath

"Naruto?" Hinata said. "Want an afternoon snack?"

"I don't have an appetite. I'm full."

"What!?" Hinata said. She left the room. "Oh well, too bad. Today we've got lemon pie, melons, chocolate cake, and sherbet..."

Naruto' eyes widened. He went downstairs. "I don't have an appetite, but!" He said. "I'll eat."

After Naruto finished eating he put on a jacket and headed for the door.

"Where you going?" asked Hinata.

"I'm going to..." said Naruto. "I'm looking for...I'll be back."

Naruto left and thought to himself.

_I have only been thinking of Kaguya. She kissed me. Why isn't she appearing more often? Is she trapped? Kaguya must have many secrets. I want to make her strong. I wonder who I can go to for advice. I could go to Sakura, but she will talk forever and the Eclipse Circus will be the first thing on her mind. Sasuke won't ask questions, but he will wonder if Kaguya and I are involved. Hinata will just get jealous. I could go to Father; but I don't want to involve him..._

"It doesn't matter." Naruto said to himself. "I can find a way to save her myself. With my own strength."

Xxx

Kaguya was lying caged on the floor.

"_I have to hold on,"_ she thought. _"Unless I hold on, even my Warrior's body will be ruined... And then the planet, too..."_

She could hear Xia and Bandiane talking.

"We will kill Kaguya's chosen soldiers." Xia said. "Not to worry, my Queen. We will slay them in front of her, and the Princess will despair and die at last. You will finally gain immortality."

"It will be all mine." Bandiane said.

Xxx

Naruto was lying in bed coughing.

"The aura enveloping his body is weakening. A disturbance is occurring within his body." Hinata said. "I've never seen a magical disturbance so bad on a human being."

Naruto coughed harder. Blood splattered onto his hand.

"But, there is nothing I can do with my power anymore." Hinata said.

Naruto coughed again.

"Naruto? Are you awake?" Hinata said tentatively.

"Hinata...please leave. I just want to rest."

Hinata looked at him and sighed. "Alright."

Naruto winced as Hinata closed the door behind her. _"I can't let her get suspicious..."_ he thought. He looked at his wet hand. _"...of this black blood!"_

_"What's wrong with my body! The Eclipse Circus! From now on, they're reaching their evil hands through this city! When I say from now on, even if I do it again, am I being a burden...!"_

Xxx

As Sakura walked home she ran into Naruto.

"I was just going over to your place to talk to you about something." Naruto said.

"Is it about a girl?" Sakura guessed.

Naruto' eyes widened in surprise.

Sakura cheered. "I'll make a great dinner.

They headed to the market to get some spices.

Inside a man named Taka was throwing a fit because the store doesn't have the spices he wants.

"Sir, you can find the spices you want at the foreigner's market." Sakura said.

She took him outside and offered to go with him to the other store.

"I appreciate your kindness." Taka said. "I'm doing market research."

Taka showed Sakura his store, an Herbal shop. "Sakura, Naruto, please come in."

"So what are you doing here all of a sudden." Sakura said.

"I'm part of the Eclipse Circus." Taka said. "It's my dream to have an herb shop."

"It's my dream to win the Nobel Prize." Sakura said.

"When you've had a goal since your youth, you must pursue it." Taka said, and gave Naruto and Sakura two rings. "The stones are Amazon Stones, anti-evil charms from the Amazon, and they have the ability to make dreams come true."

Naruto and Sakura returned to Sakura's place with the food they bought, and were making a salad. Sakura looked at the ring on her finger.

_"A charm that can make dreams come true, eh?_" she thought. "_He was a wonderful person. It's twinkling. To make my dream come true, I should keep pursuing it further."_

_"My dream... Since my parents died early, I've been living on my own for a long time. I want to win the Nobel Prize. After that is a secret, but... I also really want to become a pretty woman like Hinata. And then to become strong like Ino, too. I have lots of dreams. But those dreams... Have I been pursuing them?"_

_Xxx_

"So you're telling me you cooked, Naruto?" Hinata said.

"Yes I did." Naruto said.

"I see," said Hinata. "Then what?"

"This is that Amazon Stone. The ring's stone is a charm. Hey. It's pretty, but isn't it suspicious!? Getting a stone that looks this expensive for free." Naruto said.

"Naruto, can I keep this?" Hinata said.

"Right, right." Naruto said.

After he left, Hinata turned to the ring. "An Amazon Stone...?" She cracked the stone with a pair of pliers. "Looks like a normal stone, but... I'll leave it for a while and see..."

Xxx

Sakura headed over to see Taka.

"How are you doing going after your dreams?" Taka said.

Sakura looked down. "I can't really talk about it to my friends... I... have lots of dreams. But... I'm hesitant... Which path should I choose? I've always kept it buried inside me. My dreams... won't they come true? The path I'm taking now is in the opposite direction, I think-No, what am I saying?"

"If you're hesitant, will you quit?" Taka asked. "Fighting for Konoha?"

"What!?" Lemures begin to flow out from the ring on Sakura's finger. "What!? These-! This ring! I can't take it off!?"

"These little incarnations of nightmares, the lemures, they want you, filled up with dreams. How would you like to join the Eclipse Circus, too? Let's spread nightmares around the world together." Taka said.

Ropes of energy tied around Sakura. The window blinds closed on the shop.

"How pitiful," Taka said.. "No one will come to save you now. Heh heh!" The ropes tighten around Sakura. She collapsed.

_"I'm losing my strength..." _she thought. _"Sorry, everyone..."_

Sakura opened her eyes and looks up. "This place..."

"_My Warrior..." _Kaguya called. "_Without your strength and wisdom, who will protect me? Who will protect Naruto and Hinata?_

_"That's right,"_ thought Sakura. _"I am a Warrior. I have many dreams, but my biggest dream now is to protect the ones I love. That is my mission!"_

_"That's the spirit, Warrior." _

Sakura felt a wreath of laurel around her head.

_"The emblem of thunder and lightning!"_ she thought. "Leaves of oak!" She ran at the enemies. "I'm going to expel you from this city! That time will be the time when you die! Eclipse Circus! CHA!"

She punched into the earth. The attack flies by them, cutting apart the flying hawk. The Herb Shop vanished. At that moment, Naruto and Hinata appeared.

"It will be you who dies, Naruto Uzumaki." Bandiane said.

"That woman..." Sakura said.

Naruto heard a ringing sound. "A bell!" He said. "Kaguya!?" He took out the small bell. "Kaguya! Is she calling me from somewhere!?"

Suddenly Naruto choked and collapsed.

Lemures leapt from the air and attacked Naruto' chest.

Kaguya stepped from the same portal and tried to fight them off.

"Naruto!? Kaguya?!" Sakura, Hinata, and Sasuke said.

Using their new powers, they destroyed the lemures.

"My Warrior..." gasped Kaguya. She collapsed on the floor.

"K-Kaguya..." Naruto caught her, clutching his chest. "She's been protecting me all this time...there are wounds all over her body..."

They saw the blood on Naruto' hands.

"Naruto!? Black blood!?" Hinata stared at him.


	6. Circlet

"Naruto!" Naruto kneels on his bed, coughing. Kaguy stands next to him.

Sakura runs into the room. "Naruto!"

"Black blood!" says Hinata. "Naruto! How long? Why is your blood black..."

"I don't know," he says. "Since a little while ago. My chest started hurting..."

_"And the black shadow in my lungs..._" he thinks to himself.

"Kaguya!" says Naruto. "Tell me! You must know! Is my black blood related to the enemies and you? Is this the enemies' doing!?"

"It seems the time has come already," says Kaguya. "Let us talk." In a glowing light, the Kaguya transformed into a Priestess. She knelt before them. "I am the Priestess of he Dreaming," he says.

"Priestess?" asks Naruto. "The Dreaming?"

"The Dreaming is the holy land that protects Earth," he says. "It quietly rests deep in the Earth, a place like the heart of this planet. I serve as a priestess there. My mission is to continue watching over the Dreamland, and this planet Earth, and you, my Warrior. I am also the guardian priestess of this planet and you."

_"My guardian priestess...?"_ thinks Naruto.

"Since the distant past," continues Kaguya, "you have protected this planet all alone, not knowing you were doing so. Your dalliances with the fairies are proof of that.."

"Do you know me?" he asks.

"Yes, Warrior. But you probably don't know me. This planet is protected by the holy land of Dreaming. I live together with the Dreamland. You, this planet, Dreaming and me. Our four spirits and bodies are linked. And those four spirits and bodies are starting to resonate."

"Our four spirits and bodies are... linked? Resonating?"

"But for that," says Kaguya, "this is happening." A beam of light shines from her forehead to Naruto's chest. A dark flower appeared in front of him.

"Naruto!?" said Hinata. "Inside your chest...!"

Naruto looks at himself in the mirror.

_"Inside my chest..." _he thinks. _"A black rose is blooming...!?"_

"In my chest as well," said Kaguya. "A cursed black rose is ruining me. It is a sign of the defilement of the Dreaming; the eternal Nightmare. My Warrior, you are suffering from a curse just like I and Dreaming are."

_"Inside Naruto's chest..." t_hinks Hinata. _"A black rose...? A curse!?"_

"The form you are looking at is an illusion of me," says Kaguya. "My body now is also being caged by the curse. I am confined to Dreaming."

"A curse!?" says Naruto. "Confined!? Who could do such a thing...!?"

"There is only one who could do this. In the kingdom of nightmares, inside the new moon. Queen Bandiane of the Eclipse Circus. The Eclipse, their kingdom was sealed deep in the darkness of the new moon. Since long ago, they have been plotting to rule Earth. The Eclipse's Queen Bandiane is an apparition of revenge. If they cause damage to Dreaming, this planet will fall easily. From inside the darkness, the heart of the Earth, Dreaming, was cursed. First, to lift the curse from within, I prayed continually. But with my small power, my prayers were not answered. The curse spread like a nightmare. Dreaming was ruined, and soon the power protecting Earth faded away. Taking that chance, they crept in the moment of the beautifully cursed solar eclipse. It seems this planet is now being invaded from within and without. Due to the curse on Dreaming, its dying condition is under rule by darkness and nightmares. If these conditions continue long, the nightmares will shortly spread to the surface as well, making this planet a dead planet, and making it theirs. Naruto. They are not aware of my powerful Warrior, you. Please, I request that you use your power to defeat them."

"I will help!" says Hinata. "Together we will defeat the enemies! If I do that, I'll save Dreaming, you, and Naruto, too!"

"It's regrettable," says Kaguya, "but even if you defeat them, you cannot lift the curse on Dreaming and the Warrior."

"What are you saying!?"

"In this ruined body, it was quite hard getting to my Warrior. Then I finally found you. Naruto, if you are indeed the chosen warrior, you should be able to search out the Shikon no Tama.. If you have the beautiful dream. If you are the soldier. If you are the chosen warrior, who can break the seal on the Shikon no Tama."

"The Shikon no Tama?"

Wing sprouted out from Kaguya's back.

"Kaguya!?"

"Warrior," she says. "I am a priestess. I only have the power to pray for salvation and watch over. Warrior, I need your power. The day to break the seal on the Shikon no Tama has come. Please, save everything from the nightmares with the power of the Shikon no Tama..." She disappeared..

"Kaguya!" Hinata called. "Without the Shikon, I can't save Naruto and Kaguya, and Dreaming and Earth! The Shikon! Where is it? How can I find it...?"

Naruto coughs up more blood.

"Naruto!?" Hinata said.

"You should stay away from me!" he says. "This curse... You might catch it! You shouldn't stay with me."

_"I can't even lend you my strength with this body,"_ he thinks to himself sadly.

"I will stay with you," said Hinata.

"Hinata..." Naruto said.

"I'll protect this planet, you, and everyone!" Hinata said.

_"Kaguya...!"_ thinks Naruto. _"I want to help her... Kaguya."_

_"Without the Shikon,"_ thinks Sakura, _"the Warrior and Dreaming won't be saved. And maybe even this planet. The Shikon... Where could it be? What kind of crystal is it!?"_

"So to completely save Earth from the Eclipse," says Sasuke, "we need the Shikon... And this thing that's happening to Naruto..."

"We should have been thinking of these enemies differently," says Ino. "From now on, we have to fight to help Hinata and to protect Naruto."

"Right!" says Naruto.

"Now how are we going to go about fighting the enemies? We need to work on a strategy."

"Yeah, we do."

"Um, yeah," said Sakura. "Right..." She left. _"How come I'm the only one who has no power?"_ she thinks. "Right... I didn't tell the others, but... I lost my power. Only me."

Xxx

Sakura went to Sasuke.

"I've lost my power, Sasuke." Sakura said. "I've lost my strength."

"Your time will come." Sasuke said. "You are in the process of storing power as a great kunoichi."

Sakura isn't comforted much and decides to go take a bath.

_Acting like this isn't strong at all. I must be strong. I am a soldier, just like the others._

Xxx

Watching Sakura in her Mirror, Bandiane called forth two Circus brothers.

"You will destroy this soldier before she can regain her strength!"

Xxx

"It is hot this summer." Sakura said. "The city gets dirtier and dirtier. Lemures hide in the dirt and darkness."

Two men were arguing.

Sakura took out a mirror. "I got this from Naruto. He said that it can detect the strange magic from Eclipse."

"It's all coming from the center of the Circus." Sasuke said.

_I wonder if that's why I've lost my powers. But then why does it only affect me?"_ Sakura thought

"Are you ok?" Hinata said. "Your acting strange."

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Sakura ran off.

Xxx

Sakura ran off. "_Why have I lost my powers...my strength. What if an enemy threatens Naruto? I'm supposed to be a kunoichi! I'm supposed to protect him!"_

A man approaches her. "You," he says. "Would you like to model?"

Xxx

"I've been scouted!" Sakura said to the others. "It's my dream and whatever it takes I'll make it come true!"

"It sounds suspicious." Ino said. "Show me the scout's card."

"_Eclipse Entertainment Mr. Xenotime"_

"Whoa." Ino said. "Look at this.

"I'm in a hurry." Sakura said, and left.

Xxx

Sakura looks at the audition ad as she walks down the street. _"I'm such an idiot,"_ she thought. _"I knew it was probably a Eclipse trap."_

"Sakura! Wait!" calls Sasuke. "What are you thinking! Are you planning to go after them by yourself? Even though you lost your powers!"

"Shut up!" says Sakura. "This is the chance to show my power!" she thinks. "I have to act! I'm going after them! The Eclipse! I'm made to fight, for fun and profit!"

Xxx

Sakura goes to the Eclipse audition. _"All these Eclipse buildings are here all of a sudden!?" _she thinks. _"It's so hot and stuffy. It feels really suffocating here. It's not just the heat. I'm sure there's a strange air hanging. We've been invaded without knowing it. Now! I'm going to check this out thoroughly!" _She puts on a dress and gathers with the other girls there for the audition. _"What!?"_ she thinks. _"This many girls came!?"_

She looks at her reflection in her compact mirror. _"There's no way I can save everyone by myself,"_ she thinks. _"I guess I should call Naruto and the others... But... then everyone will find out I lost my powers! No! Don't be afraid! Never say die, Sakura! I'll fight by myself! That's what I've decided! CHA!"_

Zeolite calls everyone to enter the tent and Sakura finds herself in a jungle.

"Now! The survival audition begins!" says Zeolite. "This audition will fit you for the story. One after another, become brave girls, and come out of the jungle. Then save the children on top of that tower!"

Four kids cower on the tower, crying.

_"They put children up there!?"_ thinks Sakura.

"First place gets a prize of $50,000!" says Zeolite. "And will become our next wrestling champion!"

All the girls charge into the jungle, shoving others out of the way.

"Hehe," says Bandiane. "Get angry, get angry. Release more and more energy. The lemures will change your energy and dreams into nightmares. Being able to spread this many nightmares makes me happy."

"Everyone, calm down!" says Sakura. "This audition is strange! Get out of the tent!"

"Shut up!" says one girl. "We're going to be models!" They continue running.

"Wait, everyone!" Sakura calls. Boulders begin falling toward Sakura.

"Look out!" Sakura runs in front of her and destroys the boulders with her fists

"Sakura!?"

"Sakura!" Sasuke says. "I don't care what you say."

"Right!" says Hinata. "When we go after enemies, we all go together!"

"Hinata!? Sasuke!?"

Lemures begin attacking her.

"Sakura! Use your powers!"

"I-I can't do it!" Sakura said.

"Sakura!?" says Hinata.

_"Like this, I'll just be a burden on everyone!"_ Sakura thinks. She runs into the jungle. _"I'm going ahead!"_

"Sakura!"

Sakura comes to a clearing and sees lemures swarming over unconscious bodies. "Everyone!" she says. "Hold on! They're multiplying rapidly, these things! Oh no! Could they be sucking up everyone's power!? They just want to be wrestlers. Preying on those pure and clean dreams! I won't allow it! I'm stopping this event, Eclipse! I'll save them all!" She climbs up the tall tower holding the kids. As she approaches the top, knives begin pelting down at her.

"Sakura! Watch out!" calls Sasuke. Kunai fly at the three ninja.

"Seems we have people who aren't participants in the audition," says Zeolite. "Make one move, and I won't guarantee the survival of your little friend who lost her powers. Now, lemures! Eat up these ninja, and put them to an end! Ahahaha!"

Sakura reaches the top of the tower. "I made it!" she says. "Now I'm going to save you all!" The kids change into lemures. "They're not children! Damn!" She drops to the floor as more knives fly at her.

"Congratulations!" says Bandiane. "You've cleared a number of obstacles, and you've arrived here in first place! Now you're one step away from being a model!"

_"I can't move my body!"_ Sakura thinks.

"Last, we'll do a little treasure hunting," says Bandiane. "Little lemures!"

"Lemures!?" Sakura screams as the lemures delve into her body. _"I feel faint..."_ she thinks. _"They're slipping inside my head..."_

"Ehehe," says Bandiane. "Now you're a member of the Eclipse. So, go to where your friends are, and destroy them."

Sakura gets up. "Destroy..." she says. "For our Eclipse... Heh."

Sasuke grabbed her. "Sakura!" he says.

Sakura cries out in pain. "Sasuke!?"

"Get a hold of yourself, Sakura!" he says.

"Damn!" says Bandiane. She stamps her foot on the floor.

A trap door opens underneath Sakura, and she drops through it. "Oh no! I'm fallllllling!"

Sasuke grabs onto her hand, holding her in the air.

"Sasuke!?"

_"Oh no..."_ she thinks. _"My arm feels like it's going to come off..."_

Bandiane appears. "This is where I have my fun," she says. "Hailstone Ball!" she calls.

A boulder appears in the air. "Sasuke!" calls Sakura. The boulder falls down toward him. "Sasuke! Noooooo!"


	7. Family

Minato was running through the Otherworld and a woman nearby was looking at the powerful Minato. Artemis was also wearing a ring on one of his fingers. The woman tried to hit on him but Minato said there wasn't a chance in hell that the woman could keep up with him, and sped off down the road, leaving the woman in the dust.

Kushina was in the music store looking at instruments and holding a bouquet of flowers. A young boy recognized her as the Red Hotblooded Habenero, and he gushed all over her and stuck his hand out to shake hers, but Minato showed up and thanked the boy and walked away with Kushina.

Minato noticed that Kushina bought pure-white flowers. "Are they from a fan?"

"I bought the flowers to celebrate it being half a year since the start of our new life." Kushina said.

As they walked and talked, fans of theirs noticed them and they wondered if the two were living together and see that both were wearing rings on their left ring fingers. Minato and Kushina drove off, leaving their fans to look on and wonder.

"Look darling," Kushina said. "A special on diapers and powdered milk."

"Now now." Minato said. "Our special child has been past milk and diapers for a while now."

Ninako was sitting at a computer in a lab coat in the Otherworld home. She was analyzing the spatial disturbance ever since the Eclipse Circus had landed, and cross-referencing events with Naruto's illness. He heard a shattering noice followed by crying.

"Boruto, I told you not to get hurt while Grams and Gramps are gone." Ninako said exasperatedly.

Boruto sat sniffing in the kitchen, broken dishes around him, with a cut on his arm. The cut slowly disappeared.

The door opened and Minato and Kushina announced their back.

"This summer is hot." Minato remarked.

"Grams! Gramps!" Boruto ran over. "I found a clutch of dragons in the caves and Ninako found a spacey turban."

"Spatial Disturbance." Ninako corrected. "But close, brother mine."

"The two of you grow so fast." Kushina said.

"Remarkably so, ever since the eclipse." Minato said.

"_Yes_," thought Ninako. _"Every day is really just like I'm dreaming. That solar eclipse, too. Several weeks after the four of us starting living together here in Otherworld, there was a total solar eclipse. On that day, I was out at the entrance, watching the Real World. I had an ominous premonition. The first since the four of us started our life. An evil premonition."_

The eclipse was charted but than as the sky went completely black, Ninako's vision had blurred, the room had spun, and he fell to the ground. A man touched her shoulder and exclaimed over the fact that he was drenched in sweat, He told Ninako the solar eclipse ended safely.

"Ninako, wanna look at the dragons?" Boruto interrupted.

_"Already half a year,"_ Ninako though. "_I knew it. That time was the end of our battle. We chose a separate path. I can't transform. That must be a sign that our mission is over. But still... Since the day after the eclipse... every day Boruto and I grow faster. This power of ours. Is it a sign of your awakening? What are you trying to tell us? What's going to happen?"_

At that moment the door opened and Kushina began taking in children for violin lessons. Ninako and Boruto began to play together.

Wings arched out between them. A woman, Kaguya appeared, an imploring look on her face. The image of a young man reaching to the woman appeared. Kushina was shocked to recognize Naruto! The image of Kaguya ran out down the hall, with Naruto chasing it.

Ninako ran after them. "Wait!" He called.

Boruto ran out of the classroom too.

They saw Kaguya cry out in pain, and collapse on the floor. Naruto knelt next to her, crying.

"_From before_," Kushina thought, "_I could hardly imagine that Ninako and Boruto would grow up so bright and cheerful. But there are times when, for a moment, their eyes grow cold, like they're frozen. Just like before_..."

Boruto stared at the two phantoms as they disappeared.

"That was Papa," said Boruto. "He was crying, because Mama died. That's really sad."

Kushina put her arms around Ninako and Boruto. _"I wonder..."_ she thought. _"If these children will awaken again."_

After the other kids leave, the four had dinner together

"If only the four of them could always live in this house...but...our spirits are restless. We'll wake up from our dream. That time is at hand..." Kushina said.

Boruto was playing a game that raised the solar system.

Minato was watching. "Boruto is letting his power go wild and I must control it to make sure it doesn't get too wild."

"Wow," said Ninako. "All those little planets you had yesterday are gone. And the gas is vanishing, too."

Ninako was surprised Boruto liked the solar system simulator, but it was a game after all, and Boruto really liked it.

"It's simulating events from the past at high speed," said Boruto. "Now it's right at 4.2 billion years, with the complete solar system of the present."

"Some small lights are shining." Ninako said.

"These? Asteroids. They aren't concerned with my will, the new planets. Dunno whether they're supposed to live or die. This white light is the moon. It's like a pretty pearl."

"That light looks like it's surrounding the blue glass ball of Earth," said Minato. "The light was always surrounding that strange girl."

He was thinking of the girl, Kurai, he had seen at the eclipse. The girl who was the real Kaguya—before Bandiane had stolen her light.

"Minato...!" said Kushina. "You want to see him, don't you."

"Our little Naruto... I wonder if he's okay." Minato said.

"Now," said Boruto, "it's just past the recent total solar eclipse."

They gasped.

"The Earth is quickly becoming black!" said Kushina.

"Didn't the eclipse end?" said Minato. "The moon's light..."

"It's pitch-black..." Kushina then made Ninako and Boruto stop playing, telling them it was time for the bath. They were living in a house in the woods. Night fell.

"After the eclipse," said Ninako, "Earth and the moon were surrounded in darkness. That's the vision Boruto saw. The rift in space-time that appeared over the city. The abnormal temperature rise. The strange increase in plants everywhere. The city ruin of unknown cause. I know all those things are ruled by the new moon. Those incidents have all started after the day of the total solar eclipse. Enemies have invaded!"

"We know that, Ninako!" said Kushina. "But... On that day, you were at Observation Deck. I was in the middle of a performance to the Spirits. Your father was racing through the woods. The gathering of darkness, the ruin of the city and people, we had to assume it was because of enemies.

"But we can't just send you out there..." Minato said. "And we have no powers of our own."

"Gramps is right!" Kushina said. "We have no power anymore."

"So they don't need us anymore," said Minato. "We aren't needed anymore. Is it a sign of that?"

The young Boruto got undressed for his bath. A light glowed in the mirror. He reached out and touched it.

At the same time, a light glowed around Ninako.

"Don't be frightened." Both twins heard the voice.

"Who are you?" said Boruto.

"Are you me?" Ninako asked.

"I am the sleeping you, inside of you." The voice said.

"The sleeping me?" Boruto said.

"My subconscious." Ninako said.

"The time of awakening has come. The time of the beginning of your new mission." The image faded away. "Awaken. My sleeping spirit." The twins lay back. "Awaken."

Images of the other warriors filled their head.

"_What is this?_" Boruto thought. "_This is fun!"_

_"I see them... These images."_ Ninako thought. _"I must hurry." _

The twins exited the bathroom, came into the living room. They were now around adolescent age, the age of the warrior.

"Ninako? Boruto?" Minato said.

"A person starts to live when he can live outside himself," Ninako quoted.

"That's what Albert Einstein said." Boruto said brightly.

"That body...!" Kushina gasped.

"The time has come," Boruto grinned

"The time of our new awakening. Whenever we are reincarnated, who we live for is decided." Ninako said seriously.

"But..." said Minato. "That's..."

"Do you remember?" said Kushina.

"A memory of your previous life...!" said Minato.

"We are no longer the people we were before," Boruto was still grinning, pleased with himself.

"We don't need to fight from a distance, alone, anymore. Now the time has finally reached us. Thank you for raising us until now. Now it's our turn to lead you! To everyone!" Ninako said.

"We have to help Papa!" Boruto smiled.

"We have to be warriors as well." Ninako said.

"Let's go! To the place where we're supposed to gather! Always, that place is the true place of our dreams." Minato said.

The Uzumaki Family was ready to protect its eldest son.

xxx

Sakura hung from the tower, high over the ground. A boulder rests on the floor next to her hand. Blood ran down her arm. "Sasuke!" she cried. Tears streamed from her eyes. "_I'm sorry, Sasuke!"_ she thinks. _"I always only said unfair things to you. I was only cruel to you. Now I know. You and I are partners!"_

The boulder was lifted up. A hand grabbed Sakura's, and Sasuke held her in the air. "Now I know," he said. "That you couldn't become a warrior, Sakura. It's because as your partner, I lacked power."

"Sasu...?" He smiled. _"Power is spreading all through my body,"_ she thought. _"Even more than before, such strength. Sasuke and I are linked together."_

Sakura gained her powers and leapt back onto the top of the Tower.

"Sakura!"

"Sasuke!"

"Damnit!" said Bandiane.

Sakura turns to her. "How dare you treat me with such terrible disdain! I'll beat you with my matchless strength! Shock and Awe!" Bandiane disappeared. The attack flew past her, hitting Xia..

"Why you!" yelled Xia. She threw knives at Sakura. Sakura knocked Xia from the tower, knocking her out. She ran down to join the others. "Hinata! Sasuke! Ino! Naruto!"

"Sakura!" Naruto said. "You became a warrior ttebayo!"

"I'm sorry, everyone," Sakura said. "But I'm fine now."

_"Sasuke,_" she thinks. _"Thanks to you."_ He looked down at her from the tower, smiling.

Xia sent Lemures to attack the trapped warriors.

_"Can't I do it with my power alone, after all?" _Sakura thought. _"Is my power still not enough? If we had more, more strength! To defeat the enemies, to protect the ones important to us! Power! Gather!"_

Naruto stared out the window, at the dark sky. _"I feel uneasy..."_ he thought. _"Tonight again, I can't even see one star. Is this the enemies' doing too? The darkness spreading, so I can't see the stars? Kaguya...I want to go see her. I want to go help her right now. Where is Kaguya? Where is Dreaming!?"_

Naruto began to cough and collapsed.

"Naruto!" the warriors cried, held by the vines. The entrance to the circus tent bursts open and who appeared but none other than the Uzumaki Family!

Minato, Kushina, Ninako and Boruto ran to family member and caught him as he fell to the ground in a faint.


	8. Stolen Dreams

The vines were destroyed by Minato, freeing the others.

Kushina attacked.

The four enemies vanished, missing her attack. "They dodged it!?"

They stared at each other. All exchanged happy comments and remark on the twin's growth. Sakura ran and hugged Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" She hugged him down. "You're alright!"

"Sakura! Naruto...is he alright?"

"He..." said Minato. "He might not hear your voices now."

Xxx

"Dad!" Boruto said. "Dad!?"

Naruto lay in bed, coughing. "I'm okay. I'll get better if I get some rest..."

"Since you came back, you've been in pain, Dad." Boruto ran out of the room. "I'm going to call the others!"

Xxx

The Eclipse Dreamers now attacked all 8 warriors and they attacked back all the while talking and exchanging info. Sakura asked why Naruto can't hear their voices and Ino asked why they came back to them.

"A crisis is approaching Naruto," said Kushina. "We've gathered for that. We can't avoid that destiny. So we'll protect those two with all our strength. We must face and overcome that destiny. We'll cut our way through our new destiny. That is the true mission of us ten warriors."

The girls continued to fight.

Xxx

"My Warriors."

Naruto halted. "That voice...! It can't be..."

Naruto sat up in bed. "I feel it!" He thought. "They are fighting! Everyone is gathering!"

Naruto ran to his room and grabbed the mirror from her dresser. "Mom's hand mirror!" He saw his family in it. "Everyone!?"

"Naruto..." Kushina said. "We will return to you again. A sign of our promise."

"Just like they promised!" Naruto thinks. "Those three! They came back!?" He ran to his room.

Naruto held up the mirror. "Mirror! Take me to my family!"

Naruto vanished with the mirror. The hand mirror appears before Kushina. She sees the image of Naruto in it. "Naruto!"

As Naruto ran through the mirror, he saw Kaguya running toward him.

"Kaguya...!"

"Naruto!" she said. "I heard your voice, calling me..."

"I'm all right."

"Naruto!?"

His knees buckled, and he fell down.

"Naruto!"

Kaguya caught him.

"It can't be... Your body... "

"We have to go," Naruto said. "Everyone's gathering. Something is going to happen. We have to go. I'm the one who has to defeat the enemies."

xxx

"Naruto is in crisis!?" said Sakura. "For that, all the soldiers are gathering...!" She grabbed Minato. "What's going to happen!? What'll happen to those two!?" She screamed as knives flew past her.

"We don't have time for this nonsense!" said Kushina. She held out her mirror. "Look!" The power blasted a giant hole in the top of the circus tent.

A dark moon loomed in the sky overhead. "It's appeared over the circus! That huge new moon- no, inside the darkness of the new moon, a wide mouth is spreading in outer space! The nightmares are rapidly spouting out from there, to the planet's surface."

"But...!" thought Sakura. "There was nothing when we entered the tent! No, from previous lives, the outside was already spreading strange air and darkness.

"People throughout the world, cities, engulfed in the nightmares of their creation. Around this planet, since long ago, it has been covered by a strange barrier of darkness. They plan to conquer this planet, and make it a planet of death."

The girls of the Eclipse Quartet laugh.

Naruto runs through the city in darkness. "The darkness is getting thicker!" He thinks. "Was the world this dark?" The decrepit streets are covered in trash. People everywhere are fighting.

"What did you say, punk!"

"Die!"

"Haha! Kill him!"

"Since when has the city been this enraged!?" thinks Naruto. "This isn't Konoha!" He sees the dark moon in the sky, clouds all around it. "What's that? A pitch-black moon...? No, it's just like a black hole...!"

"Mother! Father! Boruto!" Naruto calls.

Zia appears in the air. "Damn you!" she says. "You're a lot of trouble. This is the end of your play." She sees Naruto. "Heh heh heh. You come here often, warriors. I am the guiding soul serving Queen Bandiane, Zia. Ones of the Dreaming! It is too late, this city is already ours. This planet, too, is practically under our rule."

"Such a fragile world," says Queen Bandiane, appearing above him. "The humans accept our nightmares defenselessly. This planet is protected by weak ones who accept the nightmares themselves! Just like twisting a baby's neck!"

Naruto start to cough hard.

"Naruto!" calls Minato.

"I won't let you!" says Naruto. "Preying on weakness, doing as you please!"

"The Dreaming was gone long ago," Zia says. "You should be eliminated! Cursed ones!" The winged eyeball flies from his staff.

"Look out!" Minato calls.

It shoots a beam at Naruto.

Kaguya lies on the floor, in his cage. "Oh no! My Warrior!" She appears.

"Kaguya!" calls Naruto.

Naruto begin to shrink under the beam, becoming younger and younger.

"My Warrior!?"

Naruto lay on the ground, as a child, coughing.

"You are slowly suffering and losing your breath," says Zia. "Good. Heh heh. Ahahaha!"

"Oh no!" says Holly. "Is this the second stage of the curse Kaguya was talking about!?"

"My body now is also being changed by the curse," Kaguya said.

"This... isn't fair!" says Boruto. "I won't let you!"

"Now you can't protect this planet anymore!" say the girls of the Eclipse Quartet. "Heh heh. Ahaha!" They run away.

Boruto run after them. "Boruto!?" calls Ino. "Boruto!"

Kaguya approaches the coughing child. "Their resistance is rapidly diminishing," he says. "If it continues like this, their lives will...!" Light begins to shine from the jewel on his forehead. A light flashes, and Naruto and Kaguya are gone.

"Naruto? Kaguya!?"

Boruto follows.

"Where are you going?" A voice calls.

"To fulfill my destiny," says Boruto. "To fight together with you!" They run into a circus tent.

Inside the tent, the four sisters of the Eclipse Quartet attack and cover the two girls up with soy beans.

Boruto thrusts out his weapon. A force field forms around him, shielding them.

"Your spirits are also ruled by those nightmares!" Boruto says. "Don't you see it!?"

"What are you talking about!? Since we were born on the Dead Moon, with the power of the sacred new moon's darkness, we are capable of controlling the nightmares!"

"You're only using that power as a perverted form of the power inside you! Wake up! Rasengan"

A haze appears around the four girls. "Hated ones of the Dreaming! Our plot is to take the blue planet!" Broken glass falls at them.

Boruto hears voices in his head.

"Beautiful dreams are garbage!"

"In darkness, in the circus, dreaming wasn't allowed."

"Hate! It's all the fault of the ones of the Dreaming!"

"Nightmares are flowing in," he thinks. "But these nightmares are a little familiar. Aren't they enemies!?"

"Wake up," says Boruto, holding out his weapon. "Otherwise, there is only death. You are only being manipulated by the dead."

The four girls stare at her in silence. One slowly reaches her hand toward Boruto. A barrier appears between them, and the four jerk back in pain.

Zia shows up and yells at the Eclipse Quartet calling them immature brats. They call out 'Grandma forgive us' but Zia sucks them up into a ball. "They've forgotten the kindness with which I lovingly raised them," she says. "Now they're only disruptions." The winged eyeball returns to her. "Oh, Zia," she says. "Punish the invaders over there." The eyeball glows. Two shards of glass are raised from the ground.

Boruto grabs his weapon. The two shards fly at Boruto, and he is sucked into the glass. Zia picks up the balls and glass. "Heh heh." She puts them through the black mirror, dropping them on the other side. "Heh heh heh." Queen Bandiane smiles as she sees the four balls and two shards of glass drop to the ground before her.


	9. Waking

"Blinding... The light of the sun... It feels so good... Ahh... In Kaguya's bed. Always deep in the scent of the sun and nature..."

"Naruto... Naruto..."

"Uhh..." The young boy looks up and sees a small girl with short, dark hair.

"Kaguya?"

She bends down and kisses him. "Morning, Naruto."

He sits up in bed.

"Now, take a shower and get dressed," She says. "How do you want your eggs? Sunny-side up, boiled, or in an omelet?"

"Omelet..."

"Okay!"

She runs out of the room.

"W- What the-?" Naruto thinks. "I feel like somehow I'm dreaming, but..." She goes into the kitchen, after getting dressed. "Good morning, Kaguya."

Kaguya is setting the table. "Ah, Naruto," he says. "Today we're having French toast. Want jam on yours?"

"I'll have lime marmalade! Wait, I don't have time to be eating carefree like this!"

"It's all right," says Kaguya. "We've still got an hour before the bell."

"A- An hour!?" Naruto cries. "Oh! Oh no! My research! I was going to get up early this morning and do it!"

"Naruto," says Kaguya. She holds out his book. "I did it already. And I put all your books in your bag."

They leave the house for school. "Is... Is this a dream?"

"Man, Naruto, you're strange," Kaguya says. "You can't dream while you're walking."

"Oh, I guess not."

"I'm happy," she says. "My dream was to live with you, Naruto, and go to school together every morning. I'm so happy my dream has come true."

"What...?" He thinks. "Is that what it is?"

"I want to make all your dreams come true, Naruto. You don't have to do anything. You can just take advantage of me."

"Kaguya..." he thinks. "She used to be this sweet... The normal Kaguya is more cool and grave, and she'd never do my work for me."

"Your dream, Kaguya," she says. "Wasn't it for your freedom...?"

"My dream is to marry you," she says.

His eyes widen in shock.

"What's your dream, Naruto?"

"M- Mine!?" he says. "My dream is..."

"Naruto... Naruto..."

"Uhh..."

Naruto opens her eyes and sees the adult Kaguya looking at him with concern.

"Are you all right?" She asks.

"Kaguya?" he groans. "Damnit! It was a dream, after all!" she thinks. "But Kaguya was so cute, and that situation was perfect..."

"Does your body feel well?"

Naruto looks up. "Kaguya!" He looks at himself. "B- But, my body was shrinking..."

"Shh," says Kaguya. "Make your voice as quiet as possible. It might be useless, but we do not want Bandiane to notice us. I want to go to the shrine. We have come this far, and the nightmares on the surface have abated somewhat. The remaining purification power of this land has returned you to your original forms."

Naruto looks at the devastated land around him. "This place..."

"This is the Dreaming."

"Like the wasteland of the night..." thinks Naruto.

Naruto sees black flowers on the ground. "Kaguya!"

"The black roses are a sign of the curse," says Kaguya. "Of this once beautiful Dreaming becoming a land of nightmares. Let us proceed to the shrine."

They enter the old shrine, and climb the steps to the center, where a large crystal formation stands, holding two people inside. Both have two ponytails hanging from balls of hair.

"Is that... crystal?" Naruto says. "And people inside!?"

"Besides me," says Kaguya, "there are only two inhabitants of this land. Maidens serving the shrine. They are maenads. The crystal is the one hope of purifying this land. These two are sleeping, protected from the curse."

"This is familiar..." thinks Kaguya. "I feel like I know this building, the smell of this place."

"Warrior, your kinsmen have always protected this shrine. And the Dreaming. This is the place where your dead kingdom, the Golden Kingdom, used to be."

"The Golden Kingdom...!" thinks Naruto. "Yes... I know this place. The same winds as on the surface blow through the thick green of this sacred land that guards this planet, Dreaming. I lived in this land, and I loved this place."

"That's right," says Kaguya. "From here, you went to the surface and protected this planet. Deep in this shrine, I offered my prayers to protect this planet. We never met each other, but our souls were always one. Our wishes were always one. And with the destined meeting of you two, again, we had the same wish. In your separate places, you couldn't be together. Then, too, the two of you shared the same mission, the same power, the same soul."

"The same mission?" says Naruto. "The same power...the same soul?"

"You protected this planet Earth. The Golden Kingdom. And now that mission is carried in the crystal of your kingdom. The Golden Crystal is the holy stone of the Warrior of the Golden Kingdom. They send out your power."

"Here, in the heart of the shrine," says Kaguya, "is the tower of prayer. This is where I always offered my prayers, and received all sorts of revelations. Those revelations, too, I received at this tower."

"Kaguya..." the figure says. "The time for the seal to be lifted on the Golden Crystal has come. However, for you and Dreaming, that will be the time of your biggest trial." The crescent moon gleams on the figure's forehead. "I can only tell you this now, but the warrior will always be on your side."

"The warrior...?" asks Naruto.

"The warrior carries the beautiful dream. He is protected by the light of the moon. He is the soldier, and she carries the power that can break the seal on the Golden Crystal."

"And you..."

"That revelation was referring to you," says Kaguya. "That name and figure. The time has come. The day when you, warrior, with the power of your holy strength, will break the seal on the Golden Crystal."

"Kaguya," says Naruto. "The Golden Crystal... Where is it now?"

"Where the Golden Crystal is sealed, nobody knows. It could be somewhere here in Dreaming, or it may be somewhere else. Warrior, if you are the one, if you are the one who had the crystal long ago, you will know where."

"The same as me..." she says. "Could it be... The Golden Crystal is inside my body...!"

"Yes!" says Kaguya. "The Golden Crystal has been sealed inside you!"

"Inside me... The Golden Crystal!? There's... There's no way..."

"I know it's there," Kaguya says. "You've always filled me with strength. That strength always guided my power. That strength was the very strength of the Golden Crystal! The time has come for that holy stone's power to be crystallized, and released!"

"In me... The power of the crystal... I was always just dragging you down, while inside me..."

"I just had a dream," says Kaguya. "Just before I woke up, you asked me what my dream was. My dream is to protect this planet, so that everyone can live in happiness. To do it with you, Naruto. What's your dream?"

"My dream, too," he says, "is to protect this planet, together with you."

They hold each other.

"I'm glad," says Kaguya. "They're the same. Our dreams were always one."

Naruto sees the Kaguya's real body lying on the ground, locked in a cage.

"Kaguya!? Your body was captured over there!?"

He runs to the cage.

"Warrior!" Kaguya the woman calls after her.

As Naruto touches the cage, an electrical field around it activates, shocking him. He cries out in pain.

"So the mice have crept in," says Bandiane. She stands and walks to the black mirror. She passes through it, to stand in the shrine. "The pretty bird in the cage was a lure for the mice. Heh heh heh."

"Bandiane!?" Naruto says. "Let Kaguya go!"

A lights glows on the chests of Naruto.

"That light!" says Kaguya.

"Vulgar mice," says Bandiane.

The jewel on Kaguya's forehead shines. "Dreaming!" She calls. "Give me strength!"

A sphere of light appears around Naruto, and it carries him into the air.

Bandiane shoots electricity at Kaguya, shocking him.

"Kaguya!"

"Quickly, to the surface!" she says. "Now you will be able to resist the nightmares up there! Protect this planet!"

Naruto and Kaguya (her spirit) vanishes from the sky.

Xxx

The seven warriors stare at the ground.

"Naruto! Kaguya!"

Naruto and Kaguya appears before them.

"Naruto! Kaguya!"

"Everyone!" says Naruto.

Kaguya joins hands with Naruto.

"Where's Boruto!?" Naruto says.

"He was following the Amazoness Quartet into the forest!"

"Hasn't he come back!?"

Xxx

"I am troubled," says Bandiane. "But whatever the problem is, it is already too late."

"Bandiane-sama," says Zia. "The guard of Dreaming has become weak. We have a chance if we act now! Leave it to your guiding soul, Zia."

Xxx

Naruto looks at the dense foliage and bodies all around her. The dark moon looms in the sky. "This jungle! These people of the city!"

"It's hot..." says Sasuke.

"I... can't breathe..." says Sakura.

"Everyone!?" Naruto says. "Hold on!"

Naruto started to cough, hacking up blood.

"We can't be defeated..." Naruto says. "We have to save everyone. But... It hurts... I can't... breathe...! Kaguya...!"

"Warrior!" calls Kaguya. "You've hidden your holy power. Dreaming! Please, send your power of purification to the surface! Grant my final prayer!" A light shines on top of the shrine. On the surface, crystal begins to grow over the jungle.

"The heat's dropped!?" says Juliet. "What happened!?"

"Warrior!"

"Kaguya? Is this the purification power of Dreaming?"

"It might not hold for long," says Kaguya. "But this is this limit of myself and Dreaming."

"Kaguya!?"

"Warrior... I am happy to have met you..."

Her spirit meets with Naruto's, fading away.

"Kaguya!" Naruto cries.

Xxx

Zia appears outside the circus tent. Bandiane laughs.

"Her power has finally given out!" Zia says. She rises into the sky, growing huge.

The warrior look up at her. "She's become gigantic!?"

Power blasts out from her body into the air.

Two beams pierce Naruto through the chest.

He fall to the ground, blood spewing out.

"Naruto!" the others call.


	10. Nightmare

Naruto fell to the ground, blood spewing out.

"Naruto!" the others call.

Sakura ran to Naruto, and lifts up his blood-covered body. Naruto skin melts away from her body. Sakura drops him in horror. "Noooo!" she screams.

"Naruto!" yells Hinata.

"Oh my..." thinks Minato. "Oh my god..."

"This!" yells Sasuke. "This is a nightmare!"

Xxx

"A nightmare!?" thinks Naruto. "What happened?" He looks around and sees the dead bodies of all the others. "Everyone!? Father!? Mother?! Boruto!?" His rotting body dripped blood on his clothes. "Oh no... This... is a nightmare...!"

"Hahaha!" laughs the immense Zia, towering over the crystal-covered city. "This planet forever belongs to the New Moon. Weak ones, forever become vagabonds, inside the darkness and nightmares of the new moon!"

"Look!" said Naruto, pointing to the monitor in the command room below Crown Game Center. "Earth is being engulfed in darkness! At this rate, the surface will give way and the Dreaming's crystal barrier will be broken! The surface will be drawn into that new moon!"

"Nobody's responding, Naruto!" says Boruto, wearing his headset.

"Oh no!" thinks Boruto. "Was everyone... By the New Moon..."

Boruto stares into the monitor. "Earth is..."

"I'm going to the Dead Moon Circus!" Boruto says, then stops. "I'll stay here for a while."

"The others won't lose to this!" says Naruto. "We believe in them! They will surely protect this planet!"

He slaps awake Sakura and Sasuke.

"Get a hold of yourselves!" Naruto says. "These are the enemies' nightmares!"

"Naruto!" says Sakura, holding her red cheek.

"Naruto!?" say the others, seeing him alive.

"Look!" Naruto shouts.

"Zia!"

"Be strong!" Naruto says. "Do you want to hand this planet over to them!? Defeat them and protect this planet!"

"Naruto...!" think the three outer soldiers as they look at Naruto. "He broke through that nightmare with his own strength...!?"

Naruto remembered Kaguya. "Oh... That's right... I just swore to you that I would forever defend the happiness of the people on this planet. And that wasn't a dream. Defending this planet has always been our reality. To nightmares... To our own dreams... We can't give in to such things! We can't give in!"

"Right," thinks Minato. "Naruto, our everything... Our life and our death, our despair and our hope, and our dreams, forever shining, lie with you." He thrusts his hand into the air. "Naruto!" He shouts. "Whatever happens, we will protect you!"

They join hands as they kneel in a circle, and power shoots into the air.

It strikes Zia, knocking him from the sky, and he falls to the ground. "G- God damnit...!" he says. He flies back up, disappearing into the circus big top.

The others run to it.

Sasuke and Sakura fired at the big top.

A hole blasts open in the tent.

"There!" says Hinata, looking through her byakugan.

They rush in after Zia. Zia places his hand against the black mirror, pushing it in. He moves through it. "Into the mirror!?"

Naruto follows him, running through the mirror.

"Naruto!?"

Holly rushes after her, and slams against the hard glass of the mirror.

Naruto sees a black figure sitting among broken glass. The woman has long, long dark hair, falling to the floor. Three joined crescent moons adorn her forehead.

"This place!?" Naruto thinks. "That woman!?"

"Heh heh heh..." the woman says. "Such power! Allowing you to make it in here. At last, the time has come for the brilliant, unmatched power of that planet to belong to me, Queen Bandiane. Heh heh heh."

"Queen... Bandiane!?"

Naruto looks around. "I feel it... The brilliant power of the planet... The brilliant power of protection! From where!?" She looks at the ground. "Those four stones... and shards of glass!? Boruto!"

Boruto wakes up in a glass prisons. "Where are we!?" they think.

"Boruto! You're in there!?"

"Naruto!"

Bandiane laughs as she shoots glass at Naruto. The glass forms a wall, surrounding Naruto.

"Boruto!" He grabbed his sword and attacked The glass around him shatters, and Boruto is freed. "Boruto!"

"Damn you!" shouts Bandiane.

Naruto and Boruto attacked. Glass shatters, leaving a wavering image of Bandiane.

Sakura and Minato pound on the solid mirror. "Naruto!"

"Everyone!? I saved Boruto! Break the mirror!"

Hinata tried to shatter the mirror.

"Let me!" says Ino. She runs forward and throws her fist into the mirror.

Bandiane's face cracks. Her image wavers and breaks apart.

"Ohhh!" says Zia. "The beautiful New Moon's Queen Bandiane will not die! She will not die yet!" He flies into the blackness. "Next time we will take everything, and rule space!"

Boruto kneels on the ground and picks up the four stones, staring at them.

"Boruto!?"

The room begins to crumble around them. They run and jump at the mirror, breaking through to the other side, rejoining the others.

"Naruto!"

They stand in the crystal-covered street and stare into the sky, where the winged ship of the New Moon spews spirits into space and slowly shrinks.

It drops to the ground at Naruto' feet.

"Naruto! Boruto! You're safe!"

They look around at the empty street.

"Has the New Moon Circus... disappeared?" says Kushina.

"There's no change in the city or the atmosphere," says Minato.

"Where did they disappear to!?" says Hinata.

"Oh no!" says Naruto. "The Dreaming!?"

"The Dreaming's in danger!" He says to the others. "We're going to Dreaming! Guard the surface!"

"We're going too!"

"No," Naruto says. "Wait here. I have to find Kaguya. I'm going to the Dreaming!"

They all join hands and descend through the blackness to the decrepit land of the Dreaming. Across the calm lake stands the old shrine, where two women wait on the steps.

"We have been waiting," says one.

"We are the maidens who serve this shrine," says the other.

"Kaguya..." says Naruto.

"This way."

The women lead them to the back, where Kaguya lies in a large cage.

"Kaguya!"

"Naruto!" says the woman. "Don't touch the cage! It's dangerous."

"Kaguya!" shouts Naruto. "Kaguya! Why won't you answer me? Wake up!"

"Kaguya used all of her power," says Naruto, "to protect the city and its people from the enemies. And then, her power gave out."

"Did she die?" Naruto asks. "It can't be. It can't be! Kaguya! Answer me! Kaguya!" The small bell dropped to the ground. He picks it up, tears in her eyes. "She not dead," he says. "Kaguya isn't dead yet! Her power hasn't given out! Because I, and the Dreaming, and Earth are alive!"

Sakura's head jerks up. "An evil spirit!?" she thinks. "Is somebody, somewhere, watching us!?"

"Yes," says Ino. "The enemies aren't dead yet, either. Our fight isn't over yet!"

They hear a scream.

Naruto turns and looks into the sky, and sees the ship flying toward them. "The New Moon's ship...!" A black mirror appears, and Zia winged eyeball flies toward it. "That mirror!" The image of the dark woman appears inside it. "Queen Bandiane...!?"


	11. Ascension

"Heh heh heh..." she says. "I am the queen of the kingdom of the new moon's darkness, Bandiane. Naruto... No. Brilliant Warrior of the Dreaming. Your beloved Kaguya thought you could defeat me?"

"Kaguya..." says Naruto. "Do you know her?"

"I will again be Queen of the Dreaming," says Bandiane, "and this planet belongs to the Dreaming! So who is the true ruler of this planet? It seems the time to decide has come."

"This planet belongs to the people of Earth!" Naruto says. "You have sprinkled it with your evil spirits and nightmares! Here, together with your nightmares, you will be destroyed!"

"You cannot defeat my curse," says Bandiane.

Naruto grabs his chest in pain."Why!?"

"You want to know? Cute Warrior... Heh heh."

"The mirror!" Naruto thinks. He grabs his sword and attacks.

Power shoots at the mirror holding Bandiane.

"Naruto!" calls Kushina.

The attack bounces off the mirror, and shoots back at them.

They find themselves in another world, surrounded by prisms of color.

"This..." says Boruto. "It's just like... we're inside a kaleidoscope...!"

"Damn!" thinks Kushina. "It was reflected! Are we inside Naruto's attack!?"

Xxx

"Naruto... Naruto..."

Naruto looks around.

He sees a woman kissing a baby. It was his mother.

"Naruto, my son. I'm truly glad you were born."

"Mother!?" Naruto thinks. "Is this a vision... of my birth!?"

"Now, let us celebrate. Everyone, come in!"

Naruto looks around the room, and sees a large mirror on the wall.

"Bandiane's mirror!? Why is it in Mother's room!?"

A younger Butler came into the room, with a young Juliet.

"Congratulations!"

"I've been waiting for you," says Kushina. "Sasuke, the new guardian of my Naruto

Sasuke knelt to her.

"I have been eagerly awaiting this time. I shall devote my life to protecting Naruto!"

"Soon, he will grow, and catch up to you," says Kushina. "It shall be fun. I wonder what kind of boy he'll become."

People come to Kushina, bringing gifts.

"A gift!"

"Congratulations!"

"Here's a gift!"

A dark woman, cloaked in shadow, enters the room.

"I, too, have a gift," she says.

Sasuke run between her and the baby.

"For the biggest celebration," Bandiane says, "I was the only one not invited."

Present time, Sakura thinking as she now remembers:

"That's right..." thinks Sakura. "There was a single uninvited guest. She came trailing black shadows. That was the very inhabitant of the world of darkness!"

"Intruder!" shouts Sasuke. "Who are you!?"

"Well," says Bandiane. "Even I live here. But I come from the depths of the earth."

"You lie!" says Sakura. "You don't live on the earth!"

"That's right!" says Sasuke. "You crept into this planet in secret, to spread your darkness as an incarnation of bewitching evil!"

"I remember," thinks Minato. "It was enclosed in my memory. What happened on that horrible day. The white light of the moon wasn't yet darkened by a single cloud. There was only peace and happiness. Where they came from, and since when they had been living deep in the moon, nobody noticed. Nobody knew that the power of light was drawing in darkness."

"Uninvited guest," says Kushina. "If you are looking for peace, and want to stay, we shall welcome you. But, I shall not allow you to bring the darkness of evil to my son!"

"That's funny," says Bandiane. "You, too, were brought to this planet from far across the galaxy. Are not our origins the same? Kushina, the darkness is necessary. If you will simply take my hand... If you will accept the darkness..."

"Stranger!" shouts Sasuke. "Begone this instant!"

"Where there is light, there is darkness. The darkness calls to the light, and the light shall call to the darkness again!"

Bandiane begins glowing with power, then disappeared into the mirror.

"A present in celebration!" Bandiane says. "That you should receive my beautiful curse! When my curse is fulfilled, your son will die and destroy the dreaming!"

"By Bandiane's curse..." Naruto thinks. "The Dreaming was destroyed!?"

"The Dreaming's sickness is not a curse!" says Kushina. "It was destiny! You can't change destiny!"

"Yes..." thinks Boruto. "However many tragedies occurred one after another, like dominos, we followed our destiny of destruction. I thought everything was wiped out and reborn, but here there is one piece left!"

"At that time," says Bandiane, "all the light was lost. But I know your have the light I seek!"

A light glowed in Naruto' chest.

"Naruto!?" Ino calls.

The light flies into Bandiane's grasp, and Naruto slumps. "Hahaha!"

Naruto begins coughing up blood.

Kaguya runs to him.

"Naruto!"

She starts to hack up blood as well.

"Hahahaha!" says Bandiane. "This is not a dream! You cannot defeat my long, long curse! The Dreaming, will be destroyed now, here! Completely! I finally have it! I will use the soul of the warrior to destroy everything!"

Naruto' soul glows brightly, as Bandiane grows with its power.

"His soul is-!?" gasps Ino.

Naruto cries out and falls back, his power gone.

"Naruto!"

"Come on, Naruto!" Sasuke thinks. "If you don't live, Earth and Dreaming won't be saved!"

"I have the power!" says Bandiane. "You are as good as dust! Be destroyed! Now, everything is mine! I have the unbeatable power! Only I am the true ruler!"

"No!" Naruto shouts. He grabs Kaguya's outstretched hand. "Kaguya!"

"Give me strength, Naruto!"

They hold each other and kiss deeply.

"We can't be destroyed here!" Naruto says.

"Right," says Naruto. "We can't give in to this nightmare!"

A sphere of light glows around the two.

Naruto's Soul disappears from Bandiane's hand.

Naruto regains his power as he kisses Kaguya.

"My chest is hot..." Naruto says.

Light shines from Naruto and Kaguya's chests.

"Power is being born, but... I see."

"No, this can't be!" shouts Bandiane.

"Power isn't taken," says Naruto. "It's born. And power isn't born alone. You can't use it alone! I won't lose to anyone! I will show you our power!"

The light shines in his chest as he faces Bandiane.

"Warrior of the Dreaming!?" Bandiane says. "No, damnit!"

Naruto reaches his arms to the sky, as the light shines above him.

The light spreads all around him. The others transformed into their warrior forms.

Four miniature versions of the warriors appear.

"Warrior Ino!"

"Warrior Sasuke!"

"Warrior Sakura!"

"Warrior Hinata!"

They are held in spheres of light, and float into the hands of the soldiers.

"Naruto!? You...!"

Four more small soldiers appear.

"Warrior Minato!"

"Warrior Kushina!"

"Warrior Boruto! We are your guardians. You are the warriors of the Dreaming."

"Guardians!? The Warriors of the Dreaming!?"

"The time has come for our power to be complete," says Boruto.

"Borrow power from the Dreaming," says Minato.

"Give your power to Naruto!" says Hinata.

In the light above Naruto, his sword appears, and the light radiates to it.

"Look!" says Boruto. "The sword...!"

"The sign of our gathering... That we have always been searching for... The sword...!"

"Everyone!" Naruto shouts. "Give me your power!"

"Send our power to Naruto! Our power, all of it, here!" They shouted.

Naruto transformed into his Warrior form and he was shining with the same light Kaguya had.


	12. Coronation

Kaguya stood in her beautiful kimono as Celestial Maiden of the Dreaming.

She thrusts her arm out, and a glowing sword appears in her hand.

"Our protectors, shining warriors!" she shouts. "Gather your powers!"

Her sword raised in the air and the others weapons gathered around it and joined with it.

The other warriors now in formal clothing watch.

"This is the Maiden's true form!?" thinks Myles.

They all extended their hands and delivered their power to her weapon.

"If truly," thinks Naruto, "If I have power, I give it to you!"

"Naruto!?" the others call.

All their power flows to Kaguya, a ball of light encircling her.

"All our power! Here, now!"

Naruto sends his power.

Kaguya points her sword out and attacks.

Light blasts at Bandiane. She screams as she shrinks from her giant size. Her body mutates, shedding its form as a woman and changing to a small, wrinkled body.

"Ohhh..." she says. "I... I will always be the beautiful Queen Bandiane."

She stretches her hand toward Naruto as she is sucked down.

"Warrior," she says. "Warrior of the Dreaming, shining with intelligence. I shall take your hand... As the true queen... As the ruler of the matchless power..."

Bandiane's spirit is sucked into the large mirror, and she is sealed inside.

The cage holding Kaguya's soul vanishes.

The giant dark moon over Ireland disappears.

The moon begins to move past the sun.

The spiderwebs formed around the city fades away, leaving the streets clean.

The people of the city awaken.

"Huh? What have I been doing...?"

"I feel like I was sleeping..."

They look into the sky at the moon moving out of the path of the sun.

"That's..."

"An eclipse?"

Angeline watches the occurrences through her mirror.

"The surface is returning to normal...!" she says. "The long nightmare of the total solar eclipse... Now, finally, it's passed...!"

"The long, long nightmare..." thinks Kaguya. "Now it's finally over."

xxx

The young Naruto cries as he wanders into his mother's room.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" asks Kushina.

"I can't sleep," she says. "When I close my eyes, a black monster comes after me. Sasuke told me a scary story. That inside the mirror, there lives a horrible black monster, that eats crybabies. Is it true?"

"Naruto. We, everyone, carry a star in our hearts."

"A star?"

"Light and dark are always accompanied by each other. If you're frightened even a little by the dark, and show it your tears, the dark will become great and come after you, and it will swallow the light. Naruto, to resist the spirit of the darkness, always make the star in your heart shine. That is your most precious mission."

Xxx

The cage fades away, leaving the body of Kaguya lying alone on the ground. Her soul joins with her body and she begins to stir.

"Kaguya!?" says Naruto.

He goes to the body.

"Kaguya?"

He kneels and leans toward her.

"Kaguya... Wake up... Please, please..."

A tear drops from he eye as he bends down and kisses her.

"Wake up..."

A light glows from his hands and heals Kaguya.

Kaguya opens her eyes, and sees Naruto looking down at her.

"Naruto...?" she says. "Why... are you crying? My warrior."

"I'm happy," Naruto says, holding his hand to her face. "You woke up, I'm so happy, and tears are coming out."

"That light..." she says. "Your powers have been reborn, my warrior. And that power led me to awaken."

She follows Naruto, running out of the shrine, and she sees the green land of Dreaming, alive once more. The lake sparkles in the sunlight, and flowers bloom all around.

"Kaguya!" says Sasuke.

"Everyone...!" Kaguya says. "Thanks to Naruto, the Dreaming was healed. This weapon is yours."

She handed him a blade.

Naruto holds out her sword at the large mirror, and Kaguya held out her own sword.

They draw the evil from the mirror, and raise it into the sky, where it is destroyed by the light.

They reappear in the park outside Konoha, where it all began.

"Please, take care of yourselves," says Kaguya. "I will continue my prayers for your safety in Dreaming. And for you, my warrior Naruto."

"Kaguya," says Naruto.. "I'll see you again, right?"

"Yes, my warrior. I will be in your dreams, and I will eagerly await the day when I can meet you again. Eagerly."

"Kaguya! We will! I'll go to see you again!"

Kaguya stepped into a white mirror and vanished.

"Someday in the future..." thinks Naruto. "When I've become a real warrior... So Kaguya can be my Celestial Maiden."

Tears well in his eyes.

"Well, let's go!" Sasuke and Hinata chorused.

"We'll see Kaguya again for sure." Sasuke comforted.

"Until then, you can hone your skill as a man, right, Naruto?" Neji smirked.

Naruto gave him a look.

"_Right_," he thinks, smiling. _"So my many dreams will come true, for now, even though I'm not yet an adult, I have to work through it!"_

"Amazing," says Naruto aloud. "Even though the battle's over, I feel a warmth in my heart. Just like a star has been born in my heart. So this is the power I have been given."

"Naruto," says Sasuke knowingly. "All of us, everyone, have stars in our hearts."

"Stars?"

"Yes. And that warmth in your heart is a sign that your star is shining."

The others look at Naruto. He said nothing but thought inside his mind.

_"So that my dreams can come true, so I can protect the ones I love, so I can fight, please, star in my heart. Shine your light, and give me strength!"_


End file.
